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Crash: Some Tips Lessons Learned

I was first on the scene of a crash this morning between a cyclist and a runner at MM 11 on the MVT (Old Town). It's actually a rather dangerous spot, 3-way trail intersection adjacent to a blind curve.

What happened: cyclist rang bell to pass runner; runner had music buds in both ears, never heard the warning; turned left into the passing cyclist, causing her to crash. Cyclist sustained head, shoulder, and leg injuries, as well as facial, arm and leg lacerations, and was in mild shock. (BTW, lest we get too smug about the runner guilty of causing this, let me say that at least half of my warnings given to other cyclists when passing fall on deaf ears because they too are budded up in both ears and hear nothing.)

Some tips and lessons:

If nobody has done so already, take charge of the scene, i.e., direct people who stop to help to do specific things. Examples:

I asked one person to position herself around the other side of the blind curve to warn approaching cyclists and get them to slow down.

I asked another to position himself at the nearest road intersection adjacent to the trail to flag down the responding EMS folks and guide them from the road to the trail location.

As 911 will either request that someone stay on the line, or provide a call back number they can use if needed for further info regarding patient's injuries/condition and/or directions, I asked a third person do that.

- Provide first aid as appropriate. Important considerations are to keep the injured person still to preclude further injury, and talk to them with the intent of calming them (helps with shock). After the obvious back and forth about their injuries, let them know that the worst is over, they're going to be okay, and that help has been contacted and will be there in a few minutes. Then change the subject, as that will help with the effort to calm them. (I got her to tell me about her husband and their recent move here from CA.)

- 911: The following, I think, are the most important lessons learned.

1. Calling 911 from a cell phone is not supposed to be tricky business, but it is. The first call was answered by a person saying "911 what is your emergency?" I assumed (wrongly!) that I was talking to Alexandria City. She took all the relevant info, seemed very unfamiliar with the location, but said the call would be entered. 10 minutes pass: nothing.

The second call was answered by a person saying "Prince George's County 911, what is your emergency?" Now I understood, you never know which tower a cell phone will 'ping" to!

I asked her if she could transfer me to Alex City (which is what the first person should have done automatically), she did, they took the call and the responders were at the scene in four minutes.

Lesson: when you call 911, if they don't ID which call center you've reached (i.e., PG, Alex, Arl, Fairfax, etc.), ask. If it's not the location you're in, ask to be transferred, then confirm with the next person that you are now indeed talking to the right place.

2. We denizens of the trails live and die by MMs and landmarks. 911 centers and first responders know little to nothing of these things. It is critical that you provide nearest street location to where you are on the trail. For example, in this case it was the intersection of Fairfax and 3rd Streets in Old Town.

3. When EMS gets there, tell them what injuries you have observed, and those that the injured person has told you about (i.e., what hurts), ask if they need anything else from you, and ultimately, whether you can now depart.

As you roll away, in your thoughts, give thanks that it wasn't your day in the barrel, think good thoughts for the injured's recovery, and vow to ride, run, and walk as safely as you can, every day!

I am not the cyclist you and the other bystanders helped this morning. I'm a completely different cyclist who was involved in a completely different accident and helped by a completely different group of bystanders on Sunday. I don't know who any of those people are or have any way to thank them. Your cyclist probably doesn't have any way to thank you either, so I'll just pretend you're one of my bystanders and you can pretend I'm your injured cyclist , and thank you, so so much.

I am not the cyclist you and the other bystanders helped this morning. I'm a completely different cyclist who was involved in a completely different accident and helped by a completely different group of bystanders on Sunday. I don't know who any of those people are or have any way to thank them. Your cyclist probably doesn't have any way to thank you either, so I'll just pretend you're one of my bystanders and you can pretend I'm your injured cyclist , and thank you, so so much.

I got hit in January (right near the meeting point for a group ride so thankfully Emm came to help after she heard me yelling at the driver) but was also thankful for two witnesses who immediately came to my aid, offered to call 911 and also provided their contact information. If I could offer one addition to Dan K's awesome advice it would be, make sure that the person you helped gets your contact information in case they need any assistance in recovering losses because of injury (or holding someone accountable legally.)

I think the fire/EMS responders don't really know the mile markers very well. When I was waiting for response on a crash (not mine) on MVT, I went to the shoulder of the GWMP with my headlight set on strobe. It gave the responders a clear point of aim from a third of a mile out. Kind of like bringing a chopper in - you have to get their attention.

On a slight tangent but the cause of the accident in the original post highlights the need for peds to acknowledge passing calls. We can't read minds and if we are required to announce our passes they should be required to acknowledge them. Would increase safety greatly and probably compliance on both sides. I'm rather perplexed that running culture doesn't seem to enforce the idea of a simple hand wave. Sigh.

Crash: Some Tips Lessons Learned

As per APCO a 911 telecommunicationis to answer "911 Where is your emergency". Then ask what is the emergency.
I know from my home I get the Pennsy cell tower not a NJ tower. This is very important- River rd. is in two states.

The one additional thing he strongly recommends--in particular if a car is involved--is have someone take a gazillion pictures of everything. You never know the picture that will eventually help you in a lawsuit.

On a slight tangent but the cause of the accident in the original post highlights the need for peds to acknowledge passing calls. We can't read minds and if we are required to announce our passes they should be required to acknowledge them. Would increase safety greatly and probably compliance on both sides. I'm rather perplexed that running culture doesn't seem to enforce the idea of a simple hand wave. Sigh.

Peds and cyclists simply need to look around before they do something non Newtonian. Stopping? Look back. Turning? Look back Crazy Ivan? Look back. If we all look before we act then we don't need to rely on unreliable call outs. We all take matters of our own into our own hands.

The only reason we have to call out to each other is to defend ourselves from people that don't look before they leap.